Sleep is a fundamental need and appears to be required for human survival. However, for many people diagnosed with sleep apnea, going to sleep can be a dreaded experience due to the lack of restful sleep. Sleep apnea (apnea meaning a cessation of airflow) is a relatively common and potentially life-threatening sleep disorder that impacts millions of people in the United States and around the world.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), obstructive sleep hypopnea, and upper airway resistance are characterized by upper airway abnormalities that result in airway collapse and complete or partial obstruction of airflow into the lungs. Upper airway (i.e. upper respiratory tract, or airway) abnormalities include: a smaller (than normal) airway cross-sectional area that subjects the pharynx to collapse; an enlarged tongue that can obstruct the airway by moving posteriorly (backward) into airway space during sleep; a retruding jaw that can increase tissue pressure surrounding the airway and subject it to collapse; an enlarged soft palate that can impinge on airway space when breathing; or compromised pharyngeal dilator muscles that fail to keep the airway open when inhaling, causing momentary obstruction of airflow. Fortunately, the brain usually detects this inability to breathe and briefly awakens the individual to reopen the airway. Unfortunately, these continuous disruptions in breathing have also been associated with increased blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes as well as other chronic disorders including death. Due to the variety of airway abnormalities that cause obstruction, and individual needs and preferences, no single solution has been found to be acceptable to all who suffer from OSA.